71–80 of 225 posts
no person ever will want read this page ...and no mentally stable person ever needs to write a page like this this just screams "i'm a narcissist, these are my rules. wanna talk to me? obey the rules!"
- It's a great ice breaker into the things they're actually interested in.
- Some people have a particular way they want to be addressed. Pamela, never Pam. Put it in one place and you're golden. (Ideally, someone would be able to put it as their Slack or Email handle and also be golden, but those are not always in the user's control at a company)
- How's the best way to get your attention if it's urgent? If it's not urgent but still time sensitive? If I want to make sure not to disturb you?
- What's your biggest office pet peeve (it's chewing ice for me; some people never realize that it could bug someone else)
- It's an easy and intentional way to disseminate your work history to your colleagues, who most likely won't have way to view it otherwise. (For example, knowing someone was a DBA gives you a potential point of contact for related questions)
I was thinking of doing something like that, but not in a professional context. Just a post somewhere, a way to talk about my personal quirks in a comedic self-deprecating manner. To be quite frank, the way you did it, and in the professioal context in which this is framed, no amount of revisions will make you not sound like a jerk. This might function in a non-work environment. I just don't think that's a very good…
Fair. Interesting that you think something like this could work in a non-work context, but not in a work-context. Curious: Do you have the same reaction to the one by Rands that inspired me to write mine? https://randsinrepose.com/archives/how-to-rands/
To me, it seems a little condescending to be told how to act toward someone. On some level it is helpful to know your teammates, but on the other hand it can come across as self centered, like you think you're special and require special instructions for interacting with. I'm sure you have good intentions in creating this, but if someone gave this to me I would instantly thing "oh man this person is going to be high…
Points taken. Will try to work on a second version that will keep in mind how this came across to you (and others in this thread).
To me, it seems a little condescending to be told how to act toward someone. On some level it is helpful to know your teammates, but on the other hand it can come across as self centered, like you think you're special and require special instructions for interacting with. I'm sure you have good intentions in creating this, but if someone gave this to me I would instantly thing "oh man this person is going to be high…
I was thinking of doing something like that, but not in a professional context. Just a post somewhere, a way to talk about my personal quirks in a comedic self-deprecating manner. To be quite frank, the way you did it, and in the professioal context in which this is framed, no amount of revisions will make you not sound like a jerk. This might function in a non-work environment. I just don't think that's a very good…
Fair. Interesting that you think something like this could work in a non-work context, but not in a work-context. Curious: Do you have the same reaction to the one by Rands that inspired me to write mine? https://randsinrepose.com/archives/how-to-rands/
To me, it seems a little condescending to be told how to act toward someone. On some level it is helpful to know your teammates, but on the other hand it can come across as self centered, like you think you're special and require special instructions for interacting with. I'm sure you have good intentions in creating this, but if someone gave this to me I would instantly thing "oh man this person is going to be high…
Yeah, I got the same feeling - 4/5 of the text is worded as global imperatives, and almost nothing puts his own weaknesses and peculiarities into context. It seems like a contract required before interaction rather than a helpful guide to understanding him. That's one of the reasons I liked "Working with Claire" [1]: It is full of open subjectivity ("I hope", "I believe"), is very clear yet polite ("please ..."). [1]…
"I can come across as a dick sometimes but that is because I like to test certain stances on issues by vigorously defending them, I assure you I'm open to changing my mind if you just keep pushing, actually I feel like you are taking my intelligence more serious if you do. Not many people appreciate this, but somehow discussion makes me feel good" or
"I actually can get pretty pissed if I feel that you are insulting my intelligence (which I'm sometimes overly sensitive to), it is where I seem to get my sense of self worth from. I may over-argue my point of view then later realize you were right and apologize." or
"I act all cool and hipster but I'm actually constantly stressed when I travel and it makes me make poor choices and not pay attention to important things like 'Did I take my pass from the ATM 15 min ago?'." or
"I'm very shitty at keeping context in mind and often jump on the wrong details in a conversation, please have some patience." or
"I really really cannot agree to disagree, it keeps nagging at me, I want to talk it out until someone "wins". Yeah I've been called a dick for that." or
"I get stuck where there is no obvious best choice in just about any situation because I cannot make a choice based on gut feeling (it feels like weakness), I need logic and it makes me swing back and forth on questions like 'subway or Uber?', really annoying when you travel with me." or
"I do appreciate jokes that are slightly inappropriate, and I feel like often at work I have to self-censor."
"I'm 40 but I like 9gag and memes."
Earlier quoted context omitted.
Fair. Interesting that you think something like this could work in a non-work context, but not in a work-context. Curious: Do you have the same reaction to the one by Rands that inspired me to write mine? https://randsinrepose.com/archives/how-to-rands/
Your document makes it seem like this is something original that you dreamed up, not that you are copying a concept from someone else.
It's missing the most important section: "Known Bugs". I don't think the average person knows themselves well enough to write a user manual, myself included. This is an idealized version of how he thinks about himself. Reality could be very different. I'd be much more interested in a guide written by his wife or parents.
Put this on GitHub and let your co workers submit issues for the problems they have with you and pull requests for changes they want you to make.
I'm starting to like this instruction manual idea more and more now ;)